Chapter 12
Meanwhile, several miles away from the Bladyso City, deep within a faraway forest, the wind howled like it was enraged at the world itself.
The trees shuddered.
Then three figures burst out of the clearing.
Two men. One woman.
"Tch. This is really annoying."
The voice came from a young man who looked to be in his early twenties. Long golden hair whipped violently behind him as he ran, strands snapping through the air like living fire. His green eyes burned like deep embers beneath the pale moonlight, and a heavy scowl twisted his otherwise otherworldly handsome face.
A sharp, irritated voice snapped from his right.
"You should shut up already. This is the fourth time you have complained, and we have not even been out that long."
The woman speaking had short purple hair and striking violet eyes that gleamed with danger. She wore a long dark brown overcoat that reached her knees. Her body looked petite at first glance, almost fragile.
Almost.
The energy rolling off her was anything but.
The air around her rippled as if the world itself was reacting to her presence. The most eye catching part, however, were the two massive blades strapped to her back. Both were enormous. Heavy enough to crush an ordinary person under their weight.
Yet she carried them effortlessly, keeping pace with the others without even breathing hard.
"Tch."
The golden haired man scoffed again, his voice dripping with irritation, like someone who had just endured the worst day imaginable.
"Killing demons is one thing. But having to cross several miles before even seeing one is a bigger pain in the ass."
He clicked his tongue.
"Which insane person even assigned us this mission?"
The purple haired woman shook her head and turned her gaze forward, toward the third figure leading them a few meters ahead.
"Hey, Ashiro. You hear what this golden buffoon is saying?" she called out. "He just called the old man an insane psychopath."
Ashiro did not respond.
He kept moving, his steps steady and controlled. White hair swayed slightly as he ran, his sharp black eyes locked on the distance ahead.
Calm. Too calm. Like he was already staring at whatever waited for them beyond the forest.
It was impossible to tell what hid beneath that composed expression.
The woman's brow twitched.
Annoyed.
"Ashiro," she called louder this time. "The old man always favors you, yet you do not even defend him.
Or let me guess. Do you agree with him? That he is an insane lunatic, like Orion said?"
Ashiro finally glanced at her, just briefly, then shook his head.
"He did not call him a lunatic," Ashiro replied calmly. "So I am good."
He turned forward again.
"Let him rant. It helps release fumes."
The words hit Orion like a slap.
"Who is ranting?" Orion snapped, his face twisting with indignation.
Then his voice rose, sharp and heated.
"Yes, I am talking about that old man. Who in their right mind sends only three of us on a journey this long to face something we do not even have a full picture of?"
He waved his hand sharply.
"And over such a ridiculous distance too."
He nodded once, as if convincing himself.
"Yes. You both heard me right. That old man is simply a crazy lunatic psychopath."
As the words left his mouth, literal smoke puffed out with his breath.
Ashiro slowed slightly and gave him a strange look.
Was it pity?
Or wariness?
"You do know," Ashiro said calmly, "that I might decide to tell your so called crazy old man exactly what you just said."
Orion's chest rose and fell violently.
"Go ahead," he snapped. "Tell him."
His eyes burned with defiance.
"I am far stronger and more courageous than before. Do you think I am scared of him?"
He scoffed.
"Of course not. So tell him."
Ashiro stared at him for a moment longer.
Then he nodded.
That simple nod struck something deep inside Orion's soul.
A sudden chill crawled up his spine.
The scene from his past flashed through Orion's mind.
Him saying something similar.
Ashiro telling the old man.
What followed after that…
Orion gulped. A cold dread clenched his heart.
No.
He would not go through that hellish punishment again. Not once more.
Right?
There was no voice to reassure him.
The radiant smile he usually wore strained and cracked. He turned his head, looking toward Ashiro, who was still running ahead with terrifying speed and smooth agility.
"Hey, Ashiro," Orion called out.
No response.
"Ashiro," he tried again, louder.
The white haired man finally turned his head slightly, casting a sideways glance at him.
Orion forced out a polite smile, though it looked stiff and unnatural.
"Let's forget what I said earlier," he said quickly. "It was just a slip of the tongue."
Ashiro did not reply.
Instead, he raised five fingers.
Orion's face dropped instantly.
He knew exactly what that meant.
"You damn thief," Orion snapped. "Why don't you ask for more?"
Ashiro nodded once.
Then raised two more fingers.
Seven.
Orion's face twisted in open rage. He nearly felt like knocking some sense into that thieving head of his.
Was he not clearly trying to lower the price?
Orion exhaled sharply.
"Fine," he muttered. "I will give you two."
They were still running. All of them. At insane speed.
"Ashiro, why are you such a ripper?" Orion complained. "Okay, two. I will give you two."
Ashiro shook his head.
Then lowered his hand back to five.
What followed was a full blown war of negotiation, one that dragged on long enough for the woman running beside them to chuckle.
After what felt like an eternity, Ashiro finally settled on four.
Orion could only sigh.
How did his mouth keep landing him in these disastrous situations?
"One more would not hurt," he thought bitterly. "But four…"
That would definitely hurt.
Orion drifted closer to the woman running between them and spoke in a low voice.
"Hey, Mira. What do you say we get rid of Ashiro after this mission?"
Mira glanced at him strangely, then shifted her gaze toward Ashiro, who was no longer paying them any attention.
She looked back at Orion and forced a smile.
"Sorry," she said warmly. "Not ready for that. Why don't you kill him on your own?"
She tilted her head.
"With some luck, you might succeed."
Orion's face fell.
He muttered under his breath.
"Traitor."
Mira's eye twitched.
Orion pulled back into position and continued running. He sighed, then turned his attention back to Ashiro.
"Why are we the ones sent on this mission anyway?" Orion asked. "I heard the one we are supposed to protect is a Gold Shural."
He frowned deeply.
"Do you really think three Silver Shurals, and newbies at that, can handle this?"
His voice lowered.
"If there is a threat that can make even a Gold Shural wary, why the hell are we the ones sent? Does this not feel like a death mission to you two?"
Ashiro stayed silent for a while.
Then he sighed.
"The master entrusted us with this mission because he was certain we could do it," Ashiro said calmly.
"Do not misunderstand. If there truly is a threat that even a Gold Shural cannot handle, then none of us can deal with it either."
He continued running.
"Our mission is not to kill whatever demon may be chasing them. It is only to make sure they survive."
A warning echoed in his mind.
His voice hardened.
"The Trystan family must be protected at all cost."
With that, his speed suddenly doubled, leaving the others behind.
Orion scoffed, then hastened after him.
He glanced up at the full moon and frowned slightly.
"Is it just me," he muttered, "or is the moon unusually bright tonight?"
---
Meanwhile, back in Bladyso City.
Sorial froze.
His breath caught in his throat. His heart slammed violently against his chest, and his skin crawled.
No.
No.
No.
It could not be.
Before him stood the person he knew the most, hated the most, and above all…
Dreaded the most.
The progenitor of all cursed humans.
The devil himself.
The devil lifted his head, his beautiful face illuminated by the pale moonlight.
Then he spoke.
"It has been a long time since we last met, little Sorial."
To be continued.....
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